[wackywidow]

Is there anyone out there with any comments? This is a devasting, hard-to-control situation. It can cause many Rx changes Just looking for some suggestions and mutual support.

I will post more, but I want to see how great the need is. RCBP disorder is different from ordinary BP disorder. It is like a dog chasing its tail! I have experienced times where the depression/mania cycle occurs several times within the span of one hour. Fifteen yrs ago it came close to killing me more than once. Now, I have discovered different things to divert my attention from the cause of the cycles by admiting to myself that they exist. Fear was, and in some ways, still is my greatest enemy. Laughter is my best friend.

[manicminer]

Goin through it as we speak wacky. you are not alone. wen i cycled high to low earlier in the night, all i wanted to do was go jump down the mine shaft. (work at a coal mine 850 foot drop. but i fought it off and ridin high again

[Seaswept]

I had a really manic monday yesterday. Loooking foward to Sunday. Because thats my fun day.

[manicminer]

Gotta love the SundayFunday!!!

[wackywidow]

Originally Posted by manicminer

Goin through it as we speak wacky. you are not alone. wen i cycled high to low earlier in the night, all i wanted to do was go jump down the mine shaft. (work at a coal mine 850 foot drop. but i fought it off and ridin high again

Know what you mean! The scary part is how impulsive and controlling those thoughts can become ... yes, you will; no, you won't.

[manicminer]

Originally Posted by wackywidow

Know what you mean! The scary part is how impulsive and controlling those thoughts can become ... yes, you will; no, you won't.

Exactly. just like the cartoons: Devil on one shoulder, angel on the other, trying to convince you that their idea is the best one. I just wanna kill em both when the start up

Completely identify. Went to bed last night feeling confident, composed, optimistic about today. Had planned to run early and do some online language stuff. Somehow during the night, I did a 180. I've cancelled all plans I'd made for today. Now trying to find a rock to crawl under while it blows over. Back to square one.

[espritlibre]

disclaimer: I don't have a diagnosis, but here is my experience over the past week or so:

Last Weds: high anxiety, heart pounding, shaking
Last Thurs: very low, tinged with mild anxiety
Last Fri: LOW
Last Sat: mixture of low and 'normal'
Last Sun: can't remember!
Mon: depressed, fed up, wanting to book a one-way ticket out of the country
Tues: manageable
Weds: MELTDOWNThurs: Bouncing, aware of everything, no fear of saying what I thought or who I said it to, rebellious, fidgety, confident, happy, didn't feel like going to bed at all
Fri: Even more hyper, couldn't sit down, didn't feel like eating, colleagues commented on how fast I was flying through the corridors, tapping, fidgeting, hugely productive, started to come down a little after a few glasses of wine, but came 'up' again in the night, epic munchies, taking food out of the fridge, trying it, chucking it in the bin simply because I wasn't in the mood for it at that time, restless
Today: Coming down... just want to sleep...

Gulas: I feel similar today. Am trying to stay 'up' and thinking of going for a walk when I can find the energy to get dressed. Hope you feel better soon

[Detach]

I don't have rapid cycling...At least I don't think so?? haha

But since some may not know what you mean, here is an article explaining it-

http://bipolar.about.com/od/rapidcyc...ymensrapid.htm

[espritlibre]

did anyone else read that article and think, "Four episodes in a year... that doesn't seem like very much!" ??

[Detach]

Originally Posted by espritlibre

did anyone else read that article and think, "Four episodes in a year... that doesn't seem like very much!" ??

But did you read this part:

>>>>>If you go from depression DIRECTLY to mania, then continue DIRECTLY to depression again, this is "multi-phasic" cycling, worse than plain rapid cycling or even a plain or single "switch." But even "multiphasic" can end at some point, say with three or five DIRECT switches into other mood states, then a period of normal mood.

Worse even than multiphasic is "continuous" cycling, which means that you never have a normal mood period: you cycle directly from one mood state into another with no normal mood. But again, the mood episodes may be long, short, mixed, with added features of panic, anxiety, etc. I guess the worst is ultra-rapid cycling and ultra-ultra-rapid or ultradian cycling, with many episodes in a day which just go on and on. <<<<<<

[madisgram]

i had rc bipolar. pdoc put me on a mood stablilizer. it has definitely worked for me.

[nacht]

I usually have five or six episodes a year, on average. I'll be symptom-free for a few months and then spend another few months switching between depression and mania (and occasionally a mixed episode because why not, I guess) with no pause. This summer was... odd. I was almost continuously manic save about five weeks of depression interspersed between; usually it's closer to the other way around. My mother wondered if the unusual amount of sunlight and heat we've had in Texas this year doesn't have something to do with it. I'm very sensitive to changes in light and temperature (usually midwinter is the worst time of year for me), and in winter especially the lack of light is a trigger, so I suppose it's possible it works the other way too.

[wackywidow]

I read the article. I "kinda" get the four cycle thing but the rest of the article is to technical for me. However, I did pick up on the "ultra" definition. That definition sounds more like me because I can cycle daily and then have a stretch of time where everything seems to be OK. Then there are times when my meds seem to be involved with it. We are making adjustments quite frequently. Abilify seems to work best for awhile then Seroquel does. It is a no matter how you look at it.

Sometimes one mood swing goes right into the other. This happened a few months ago. I fought and fought a deep depression only to reach the threshold of suicide. I tetter-tottered onn the edge, had a plan, thought I was worthless. A friend took me to her house on a lake. I sat in a log swing in silence with my thoughts for awhile came home and you would have thought I was Hercules. I was hyper and ready to take on the world. I made a few bad choices that day because of it and slide right back down and was standing on the edge again.

I am more on the edge than off flying in the wild blue yonder somewhere. There are very few normal (?) moments. I just all over the place.

I agree RCBP needs further study. It is an often misused and misunderstood illness. From personal experience, I know it exists but I don't think there is enough help out there for people like me. I have found many T who avoid facing the issues involved with RCBP. Oftentimes they try to corral it into a different Dx. Unless we speak out and share, we will never understand this complex disorder correctly ... and maybe we can't. This one reason why I joined PC.

RCBP has many faces or "suits". I am tired of changing my "suits" all the time because they all don't fit.

[wackywidow]

PS: I am somewhere in there with the "switchers" and the "continue-ers", with maybe, if I am lucky, a few days rest.

The biggest problem is that I KNOW when I am cycling and I seek isolation/withdrawal from society/friends/etc. which only makes the problems worse. I fear having other people see me in my "swings" because too many of them try to help when they only hurt. These are well intentioned individuals who don't understand ... and neither do I.

[SunReach]

The time I got off meds to see the 'pure' pattern of my swings I went into (ultra?) rapid cycling - every two days and then every day, spinning more and more out of control before I started crashing - but I had already started a new med (sodium valproate) by the time that happened so it stopped me from crashing completely I think. And in time I stabilised.
I have never seen myself fitting in any of the bp 'moulds' I've read about and even my diagnosis was as vague as it could be: 'you're affected by a disorder on the bipolar spectrum' and after that the pdoc said I'm a rather peculiar case (to which I wanted to say, aren't we all?!?!?) Anyway, I do wonder if that's because of the rapid cycling (which a year ago had made another pdoc contemplate the possibility of a personality disorder to explain the rapid cycling, as if day by day mood swings are absurd in BP)

[wackywidow]

Originally Posted by nacht

I usually have five or six episodes a year, on average. I'll be symptom-free for a few months and then spend another few months switching between depression and mania (and occasionally a mixed episode because why not, I guess) with no pause. This summer was... odd. I was almost continuously manic save about five weeks of depression interspersed between; usually it's closer to the other way around. My mother wondered if the unusual amount of sunlight and heat we've had in Texas this year doesn't have something to do with it. I'm very sensitive to changes in light and temperature (usually midwinter is the worst time of year for me), and in winter especially the lack of light is a trigger, so I suppose it's possible it works the other way too.

Sounds like SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I have that as well. Winter is the toughest part of the year. Where I live, wintertime means no sun, only snow and bitter cold. Even these "special" lights do not help. Good luck to you

[nacht]

Thank you. I suspect the same thing, and I'm considering trying to arrange for a light box this winter so it isn't so miserable for me. I live in a fairly sunny, mild part of the United States but it's still pretty bad.

[wackywidow]

Originally Posted by nacht

Thank you. I suspect the same thing, and I'm considering trying to arrange for a light box this winter so it isn't so miserable for me. I live in a fairly sunny, mild part of the United States but it's still pretty bad.

Good luck!!!

[wackywidow]

Originally Posted by SunReach

The time I got off meds to see the 'pure' pattern of my swings I went into (ultra?) rapid cycling - every two days and then every day, spinning more and more out of control before I started crashing - but I had already started a new med (sodium valproate) by the time that happened so it stopped me from crashing completely I think. And in time I stabilised.
I have never seen myself fitting in any of the bp 'moulds' I've read about and even my diagnosis was as vague as it could be: 'you're affected by a disorder on the bipolar spectrum' and after that the pdoc said I'm a rather peculiar case (to which I wanted to say, aren't we all?!?!?) Anyway, I do wonder if that's because of the rapid cycling (which a year ago had made another pdoc contemplate the possibility of a personality disorder to explain the rapid cycling, as if day by day mood swings are absurd in BP)

I think we are all little "mysteries" to our health care providers. One of my mottos is: "Life is not a problem to be solved but rather a mystery to be lived." (my original saying).

[puglover82]

wow, I have just been diagnosed with BPD, so far my meds are working great. i have always had to abrupt mood swings, too, within several days. One my body becomes "accustomed" to the drugs, could this happen again?

[SunReach]

Originally Posted by wackywidow

"Life is not a problem to be solved but rather a mystery to be lived." (my original saying).

Yes!! Excellent motto

[wackywidow]

Originally Posted by puglover82

wow, I have just been diagnosed with BPD, so far my meds are working great. i have always had to abrupt mood swings, too, within several days. One my body becomes "accustomed" to the drugs, could this happen again?

Yes it could so be aware of it. Awareness sometimes keeps us from beating ourselves up for something we have no control over.

[SunReach]

Just to point out something...I think BPD stands for Borderline Personality Disorder. Usually Bipolar is abbreviated to BP or BSP (Bipolar Spectrum Disorder) covering all subtypes etc.
(At least that's what I've come across )

[wackywidow]

Originally Posted by SunReach

Just to point out something...I think BPD stands for Borderline Personality Disorder. Usually Bipolar is abbreviated to BP or BSP (Bipolar Spectrum Disorder) covering all subtypes etc.
(At least that's what I've come across )

You are absolutely correct! Thanks for your sharp eyes.

I do not particularly like abbreviations of Mental Health Disorders for the reasons that they can become confusing. The use of RCBP was my own and was used by my T and I. I'm just as much at fault here as anyone else. I am Rapid-cycling bipolar with suicidal ideation. The cycles when they start are rapid and fast. There is no "normal" times in them. However, I can get a week or two of respite in between. I have also learned what some of the trigger points are. Life is a learning process.